State budget React-O-Mat™

The award for first response to the release of budget bills goes to Bill Mahoney of NYPIRG, who at 11:57 p.m. Friday bemoaned the extreme shrinkage of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s initial public campaign financing proposal down to the 2014 Comptroller’s race. For his speed, he’ll be rewarded by being placed at the bottom of this rundown of reactions to that and all the other aspects of the budget deal, while the newest will appear on top.

From soon-to-be-former Moreland Panel co-chairs William Fitzpatrick and Milt Williams:

“New Yorkers demand and expect that whenever public officials violate the public’s trust, they are immediately held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The Moreland Commission’s mandate was to pursue public corruption and put forward real reform measures that could help clean up Albany once and for all.

The agreement announced today, will make real our proposals to toughen penalties and provide greater enforcement for government corruption such as bribery.

This budget establishes stricter disclosure laws, requiring entities influencing our elections to disclose their activities and sources of funding. Coupled with the public financing system, this new law will ensure that our elected representatives are doing what is in the best interests of their constituents and not their big money donors or clients. It is our hope that public financing will become a reality after the initial trial with the State Comptroller election is shown to work successfully.

We are pleased that many of our recommendations, including to create an independent enforcement mechanism at the Board of Elections, will be implemented.

We applaud the Governor, Attorney General and legislative leaders for continuing the fight to cleanup Albany and restoring the public’s trust in government.”

From Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos:

I am pleased we have reached an agreement on a bipartisan budget that delivers additional property tax relief to hardworking taxpayers, reduces costs for businesses so they can create new jobs and gives students the tools they need to receive a first-class education. The enacted budget will contain a number of Senate Republican priorities, including a new property tax rebate program, a reduction in the Gap Elimination Adjustment for schools, expansion of the EPIC program for seniors, and elimination of the corporate tax for manufacturers statewide. I congratulate Governor Cuomo for achieving comprehensive, bipartisan ethics and election reforms that will increase transparency and restore confidence in government. This agreement keeps us on track to pass the state’s 4th consecutive on-time budget, an historic feat that hasn’t been accomplished in nearly four decades. I thank the Governor and our partners in the Legislature, Senator Klein and Speaker Silver, for their hard work and commitment to the people of this state.”

From Broome County DA and Moreland Panel member Gerald Mollen:

As a Moreland Commissioner, I have been briefed on the outlines of the budget agreement reached between the Governor and the legislature, which contains several features related to the recommendations made by the Moreland Commission. The Moreland Commission was created to reform Albany, create greater accountability and penalties for politicians who violate the public trust and limit the role of special interests. I am pleased that our work contributed in some part to a budget agreement that toughens penalties and enforcement against corrupt politicians, makes Albany more transparent and establishes the first real step in statewide public financing. Not everything that should be done has been done. But the proposed legislation agreed to by the Governor and the legislature is a large first step to restoring trust in Albany.

As a District Attorney and as a citizen, I hope we take further steps forward on this front in the future.

From Billy Easton, executive director of the Alliance for Quality Education:

The enacted budget contains a mix of good and bad news for public school students across New York State. The budget provides a $1.1 billion increase in aid to public schools – at least $400 million more than proposed by Governor Cuomo. ($100 million of the Governor’s proposed $800 million increase was for pre-Kindergarten programs). In an unprecedented step, this is a significantly larger increase than the conference committee’s table targets that were set by the Governor and the legislative leaders in the past ten days. The budget also includes $340 million for full-day pre-K, more than tripling Governor Cuomo’s budget proposal.

From Michael Tucker, president and CEO of the Center for Economic Growth:

“The Center for Economic Growth applauds the leadership of Governor Cuomo and the Assembly and Senate in reaching an agreement on a budget that continues to improve New York’s business climate while addressing critical needs of all New Yorkers,” said CEG President and CEO F. Michael Tucker. “Funding economic development programs and initiatives that support job creation and business expansion in innovative technology and advanced manufacturing businesses is essential to our growth upstate, and this Budget continues to strongly support that effort. The Governor’s proactive dialogue with the business community and the predictability that comes with an “on-time” budget four years in a row, demonstrates the unrelenting commitment to addressing the important business climate issues that are at the center of this administration’s economic development agenda”.

From New York Crossbow Coalition President Rick McDermott:

The New York Crossbow Coalition praises Governor Cuomo and the Legislature for recognizing crossbows as legal hunting implements in New York State and reducing setbacks for archery equipment, as part of the final budget. We thank Governor Cuomo and the Legislature for their support and commitment to sportsmen and women by enacting a law that will provide new opportunities for hunting, fishing and trapping across New York, while stimulating the state’s economy. This is a great victory for every sportsman and woman in New York, and is a reflection of the strong cooperative effort among all outdoors groups. This legislation is truly a great advancement for all of archery.

From Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano:

This budget, thanks to the Governor’s leadership, delivers one of the largest property tax relief packages for Long Island homeowners in years. Nassau County has been a leader when it comes to cutting taxes and providing quality government services at less expense for taxpayers, and I am pleased to have stood together with Governor Cuomo to help make the property tax cut plan a reality and I look forward to our continued work together to lower the tax burdens on our businesses and residents. I commend Governor Cuomo, Majority Leader Skelos and Speaker Silver for reaching consensus on a budget deal that follows these same principals while delivering common-sense tax relief for homeowners and increased aid for our local schools.

From Brian Sampson, Unshackle Upstate executive director:

“This budget agreement takes meaningful steps toward making New York more affordable for both businesses and taxpayers. The reduction in the 18-a energy tax, lowering the corporate tax rate and a real property tax refund for manufacturers have long been advocated for by Unshackle Upstate and are all necessary measures to improve New York’s economy,” said Brian Sampson, executive director of Unshackle Upstate. “We are also pleased to see the Estate Tax reformed and aligned with federal standards to help individuals, small businesses and family farms stay in New York.

While a two-year freeze on property taxes will certainly be appreciated by some, additional tax relief measures are still needed to help struggling homeowners • especially in Upstate communities. We strongly encourage the Legislature and Governor Cuomo to finally address the laundry list of unfunded mandates that serve as the real cost driver of high property taxes in New York and continue to present significant challenges to its local governments.”

“Governor Cuomo and legislators seemed to spend more time this budget season swatting away each other’s bad ideas rather than demonstrating the leadership New Yorkers need to advance a progressive environmental and public health agenda.

To give credit where it is due, all parties agreed to a nominal bump in spending through the Environmental Protection Fund, though it falls far short of what our communities need and are due. We also applaud the Senate and Assembly for rejecting the Governor’s head-scratching proposal to roll back the public’s pesticides right-to-know law, as well as the Governor for stopping the clean energy fund raids sought by both houses.

But this all begs the question, why are backwards-looking and reckless proposals even part of the conversation? Too many politicians say one thing to constituents and do another once behind the Capitol’s closed doors. This budget is no different.

The Senate Majority Coalition succeeded yet again in delaying the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2006 – a law heralded as an answer to curbing childhood asthma attacks and an economic boon for upstate manufacturing. And the Assembly balked at fixing the state’s Brownfields Cleanup Program, which has cost taxpayers over $1.14 billion to clean up only about 150 sites.

While we’re thankful Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders served as checks on each other’s attempts to turn back the clock, ultimately stale-mating on the status quo is not the kind of leadership that New Yorkers were promised. Governor Cuomo, legislative leaders, and rank-and-file members need to advance the environmental and public health protections they promised. We look forward to working with all parties to ensure that the state’s unfinished business – Brownfields reform, Superfund refinancing, and restoring the state’s environmental agencies – is addressed this year.”

From Working Families Party Executive Director Dan Cantor:

“For years, as a matter of policy and of principle, WFP has fought for public financing of elections as the only way to realize the promise of democracy. With two days left before the budget is final, we continue to urge the Governor and the legislature to reverse their current positions and include the necessary reforms that will prove to voters that it is all New Yorkers, and not just the moneyed few, who are the rightful owners of our democracy. The whole state is watching.”

From Real Estate Board of New York President Steven Spinola:

“Governor Andrew Cuomo has delivered creative ways to draw in world-class companies to put a talented workforce back in action, which in turn gives a boost to communities and entire regions of the state that were in tough shape following the recession. Members of the Real Estate Board of New York and countless others are thankful for the vision he has for putting New York State back on track, and commend him and the Legislature for making this a priority.”

From George Miranda, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16:

“Including Universal Pre-Kindergarten in the State budget is a big win for New York’s children and working families. Mayor de Blasio ran on a vision of pre-kindergarten for every four-year old in the city. Today the legislature and Governor Cuomo are making that vision a reality.

“Universal Pre-Kindergarten is about combating income inequity. It is about strengthening our economy. And it is about doing the right thing for our kids.

“Education has always been a priority for the Teamsters, through college scholarships for our member’s children and vocational training that opens new opportunities for rank-and-file members. UPK is a new opportunity for children across our city.”

From two leaders of the NYInequality Campaign:

RON DEUTSCH: “This budget virtually ignores the most vulnerable members of our society while heaping hundreds of millions in tax breaks on the wealthiest New Yorkers, big corporations and lower Manhattan real estate interests,” said Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness. “The tax cuts in this budget are election year handouts to big money donors that have fattened the Governors campaign war chest.”

“The circuit breaker, the only proposal that would have provided actual tax relief to hard pressed homeowners throughout the state was applied only to NYC, while upstate has to suffer under a convoluted tax freeze that will disproportionately favor wealthy homeowners and school districts.”

MICHAEL KINK: “The tax provisions in this budget provide the biggest benefits to the wealthy and to Wall Street — they’ll make our worst-in-the-nation income inequality even worse, said Michael Kink, Executive Director of the Strong Economy For All Coalition.

“Wall Street in New York is like oil & gas in Texas — their lobbyists usually get what they ask for. What they got in this budget is a $350 million per year Albany bailout they don’t need and don’t deserve.”

From Association for a Better New York Chairman William C. Rudin:

“The Association for a Better New York applauds Governor Cuomo, Senate Co-Leaders Skelos and Klein, Assembly Speaker Silver, and the members of the State Legislature for putting together a fiscally prudent budget that takes serious steps toward improving New York’s business climate and investing in our students. We are pleased with the package of tax cuts and reforms that will lower the cost of doing business in New York, help attract manufacturing firms, and simplify the corporate tax code to reduce burdens on some of the City’s largest economic drivers. Further, the state budget advances a visionary education agenda that funds critical universal Pre-Kindergarten programs to train young minds and incentivizes students to pursue careers in the STEM fields. This Budget is set to pass on time for a fourth year in a row, representing a new day in New York where government functions, performs, and represents the competence that the taxpayers should expect of their elected representatives.”

From Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus:

“Throughout the budget process, Governor Cuomo has remained focused on addressing the number one priority of Orange County residents: lowering property taxes. The budget will continue to encourage local governments to share services and pass the savings to the taxpayers. Governor Cuomo and the legislature are to be congratulated and commended for their work on this fiscal plan.”

From Rockland County DA Thomas Zugibe:

“For too long, violating the public trust was seen as just another byproduct of New York State government. As a member of the Moreland Commission, I am proud of our efforts to take on this systemic problem and recommend meaningful changes to New York’s political system. I am disappointed that we will not realize the recommended change from transactional immunity to use immunity when conducting Grand Jury investigations into public corruption. However, the overall agreement reached by the Governor and legislature is a major step forward in the effort to clean up Albany by making state government more transparent, cleaning up our election system and establishing tougher consequences and enforcement tools to go after corrupt politicians. I applaud the Governor for pushing these important reforms forward.”

From Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone:

I commend the Governor and the New York State Legislature for holding the line on spending, providing universal pre-kindergarten for all children, property tax relief for homeowners across the state, all while producing an efficient balanced budget that works for the people of the state of New York.”

From the pro-charter group Families for Excellent Schools:

Jeremiah Kittredge, Executive Director of Families for Excellent Schools: “Governor Cuomo and Albany leaders responded to a groundswell of parent voices, and made a historic down payment on ensuring all public school families are treated equally. The work continues, especially in New York City where 50,000 students remain on waitlists for public charter schools, and we must do everything we can to ensure every child has an equal chance to succeed.”

Ian Rowe, CEO of Public Prep: “Thanks to Governor Cuomo and Albany leaders, charter schools across our city will be able to grow and thrive in an unprecedented way.”

Jacob Mnookin, Executive Director of Coney Island Prep: “With charter schools in New York City facing extreme uncertainty, today’s action was a bold and courageous step to ensure schools like ours are treated equitably.”

Shamona Kirkland, parent at Achievement First Apollo: “Today, Governor Cuomo and Albany leaders stood with parents whose movement marched over the Brooklyn Bridge, rallied in Albany, and fought every day for equal opportunity for our kids. This is a historic moment.”

From Kathryn Wylde of the Partnership for New York City:

“The Governor is continuing his record of credibility in the business community by producing a fiscally prudent, on-time budget for the fourth year in a row. This year, we are thrilled to see serious corporate tax reform that will encourage job creation and business investment. We also welcome additional state support for educational priorities, including a universal pre-K program. Governor Cuomo, Speaker Silver and Co-Leaders Skelos and Klein have reached an agreement that involves tough choices, but adds up to a win for New York City and State.”

From James Merriman, CEO of the New York City Charter School Center:

“Governor Cuomo meant what he said and said what he meant and because of his leadership, and the good work of our legislature, particularly the state senate, we have secured the future growth of New York City’s charter sector. We are grateful. We are also heartened by Mayor de Blasio’s clear efforts to work with charter leaders.

With many fiscal and legal uncertainties now settled, it is the time for all of us to put aside politics, ads, rallies, divisive rhetoric and campaigning, and instead continue our shared task of delivering the best possible education to all of our children.

It’s a long road on which our state, city and charter sector are traveling, and as we do, we will continue to advocate for greater resources for all our schools including especially for charter schools in private space that have and will continue to create tens of thousands of new public school seats.”

From Karen Scharff of Citizen Action on behalf of the Fair Elections coalition, on public financing:

“There are several days before this budget will be voted on. There is plenty of time for this state’s leaders to deliver a public campaign funding system for all statewide and legislative races. New Yorkers deserve real reform and it’s still within reach.”

From New Yorker for Fiscal Fairness, collecting many responses to the property tax freeze:

Local elected officials and school administrators today are speaking out against a state budget deal that will have adverse effects on towns and villages across the state. As a deal was reached on Governor Cuomo’s proposed property tax freeze, elected officials warn the freeze will result in continued pressure on municipalities and school districts to do more with less funding.

Citing prior cuts in state aid and delayed infrastructure investments, elected officials and administrators are denouncing a counterproductive freeze that would handicap vital services for New Yorkers. Aid and Incentive to Municipalities (AIM revenue sharing) is down 75% since 1980 (in inflation-adjusted dollars). State Aid as a percentage of overall school funding is at a 65 year low. The proposal thus threatens to exacerbate problems faced by local governments and school districts on a daily basis, many of which are coming off of burdensome expenses from an unusually long winter.

Local governments and school districts have been sharing services and consolidating where appropriate for years. They have taken extensive steps to curtail spending – painstakingly trying to preserve the good government services their communities expect. Tight budgets have already forced the sharing of services and consolidation of departments as municipalities and school districts continue to routinely find ways to work together.

“The tax freeze proposal is an election ploy that ignores the relationship of unfunded state mandated spending on local governments. They mandate we pay for their mandated services and then hamstring how we’ll pay for them. The hypocrisy is staggering, even for the Capital,” stated Michael F. Conners, II, Albany County Comptroller.

Cosimo Tangorra, School Superintendent, Central Valley (Herkimer County) said, “We have lived within the cap, which has absolutely crushed our ability to provide a quality education to our students. We have shared services and consolidated everything that we can. This ‘freeze’ proposal exacerbates the problems in our schools and fails to recognize the budget shortfalls that exist.”

“If the Governor wants to help local government he should increase state aid instead of handing out tax breaks to his fat cat political benefactors,” stated Mike Lynch, Oneonta City Council.

Lorna Lewis, School Superintendent, Plainview-Old Bethpage (Nassau County) said, “The tax freeze is a terrible misuse of resources. The biggest rebates will go to taxpayers with the most expensive homes and to the wealthiest communities. Some of our poorest districts are struggling to preserve opportunities any of us would insist on for our own children, yet they are still getting less state aid than five years ago.”

Helen Hudson, Syracuse common councilor at large & Majority Leader said, ” Albany can not continue to put all of these tax caps and tax freezes in place, we can not continue to place more of a burden on the 35% tax base that exists in the city of Syracuse. The 35% will have to carry the load, so this won’t help them. This does not help our upstate cities that are already hurting. Also, I am a homeowner and tax payer and yes if I need to pay a little more to ensure basic services than I’m ok with it.”

“New York State is the highest taxed state. No one likes paying taxes and it would be nice to have a freeze. However, we have so many situations that need better funding. Unless there is a special pot of money to fund our schools, our social programs, even the upkeep of our infrastructure, I think the only answer is to increase taxes,” said Peggy Chase, RN EdD, Onondaga County Legislator -District 9.

Christopher Dailey, School Superintendent, Batavia (Genesee County) stated, “The tax freeze is misguided. It does not acknowledge the tough choices that school district leaders and voters have been making all along over the past five years. The original tax cap did nothing to address what really drives school costs. The Governor and Legislature left it to local leaders and voters to make the hard decisions needed to live within their tax cap. The tax freeze is more of the same – state leaders avoiding responsibility, putting it all on their local partners.”

“I am a former town supervisor and currently a St. Lawrence County Legislator. I agree with the Governor that their should be less taxing jurisdictions in NYS and consolidation of services where feasible. The tax freeze that the governor is talking about I believe will not work as proposed. This has to be done in a way where there can be more effective services provided with out cutting jobs to a major degree. The footprint of St. Lawrence County and it’s geographical size I believe will not benefit from this plan,” said Don Peck Vice Chair St. Lawrence Legislature.

“Perhaps the rebates should first address restoring what has been taken back over the past several years through the Gap Elimination Adjustment. This, in fact, has caused the greatest shift of burden directly to the local taxpayers. Instead of focusing on providing rebates, we should focus on a plan to address impending insolvency in our schools. We have been asking for the plan to address insolvency for two years now and the time is coming for many districts across this State!” said Mary Beth Fiore, School Superintendent, Elmira Heights (Chemung County).

Being a county clerk, and having had the opportunity to serve the people of the state of New York and the 98th Assembly District first hand, I can tell you that the report that the Governor and the commission are using to justify the property tax freeze and place blame on local governments couldn’t be any further from the truth. Actually, the local governments are more efficient than the state government could ever be, and to blame local government when the responsibility is on unfunded mandates from the state is absurd and untrue,” said Annie Rabbitt, Orange County Clerk.

Doug Huntley, School Superintendent, Queensbury (Warren County) stated, “When you ‘freeze’ the ability of local taxpayers to make funding decisions regarding the education of their own children, you are saying that you know better than they do what is best for their kids. This is insulting and takes away control over education decision from parents.”

Elaine Fernandez, Rhinebeck Town Board Member stated, “I don’t think the state should be in the business of dictating how municipalities should manage their budgets, especially considering the steady decrease over the years of state aid to municipalities. It’s in every municipality’s best interest to control costs where it can, and efforts have been underway across the state for quite some time to meet the many demands on local budgets.”

Patricia Sullivan-Kriss, School Superintendent, Hauppauge (Suffolk County): “The tax freeze puts some public schools in a no-win position. District leaders – and many voters – may sincerely believe that over-riding the tax cap is necessary provide the revenue to preserve opportunities for students. But with the freeze, over-riding the cap would require persuading over 60 percent of voters to forego getting their school taxes frozen. No one will risk that – with the current tax cap, the price of failing to get voter approval is losing any increase in local revenues.”

Kevin McGowan, School Superintendent, Brighton (Monroe County): “The state is not fulfilling its obligation to the children in our communities. As the state continues to balance its budget by withholding financial support that is owed to schools, the Governor is utilizing a mass media campaign to promote a convoluted property tax program that is unlikely to ease the burden the state has shifted to local communities. Instead of focusing on relieving districts of costly mandates, he has created a program that inhibits local decision-making and will not yield meaningful results. In fact, many school districts would gladly provide a tax freeze or propose minimal tax increases if the state would only provide the School Aid that our students and their community are due. The bottom line is that the state is driving up costs while trying to reduce local decision making in the process. Stop shifting the burden to local property taxpayers, then many school districts would be thrilled to freeze taxes without the disingenuous carrot of a minuscule election season check.”

From Bill Mahoney of NYPIRG:

We are disappointed that Governor Cuomo has fumbled this historic opportunity to fix Albany’s culture of corruption. The list of public officials who have been caught up in scandals has grown dramatically in recent years. In addition, the preliminary findings of the Moreland Commission paint a bleaker portrait of ethics in Albany than even the most cynical observer could have imagined. Public financing for state Comptroller alone is woefully inadequate in addressing the systematic problems in state government.

Casey Seiler

9 Responses

Maybe I’m a total skeptic, but how long before the whole education system in NYS is privatized? Aid cuts, tax freezes, State funding for privately owned Charter Schools, wtc. Is anybody else seeing the possibility of turning our public education system over to privateers, sponsored by our proud government, attacking our public education system and taking it over? Imagine the kickbacks and campaign contributions from that.

We are disappointed that Governor Cuomo has fumbled this historic opportunity to fix Albany’s culture of corruption. The list of public officials who have been caught up in scandals has grown dramatically in recent years. In addition, the preliminary findings of the Moreland Commission paint a bleaker portrait of ethics in Albany than even the most cynical observer could have imagined. Public financing for state Comptroller alone is woefully inadequate in addressing the systematic problems in state government.

Notwithstanding the orgy of mutual congratulation that is flowing like a wave over Albany, I don’t see anything that will move NY from its perennial spot on the bottom of most lists of job creation, business climate, outward migration, etc. More of the same, with gimmick programs for politicians to do press releases around.

Then if the education system is totally privatized people will realize that it wasn’t answer to solve all the problems that brought up. If they pay lower wages & lower benefits you will see less people enter that field & then the pendulum will swing the other way. Then the same people will be asking why they can’t find enough teachers

Everyone gripes about teachers, and their pay and benefits. There are some of the highest pay scale States, in the country, surrounding NYS, and all of the others would be glad to hire the NYS teachers. It is what it is, we are competing for the teachers, and New Yorkers have to pay the going rate. The answer is get rid of the Ed. Dept. heads, consolidate into county school districts, cutting the number of District Superintendents, and hold all of them to higher standards. And end the one size fits all State requirements, or base aid on X amount of dollars per student, equally, Statewide. The whole system needs an intelligent, sane and thorough remodelling.

Can anything ever be done during regular business hours and in the light of the day! It was predicted by many that an after dark, late Friday night into early Saturday AM would produce a budget deal. You know the drill by now, weekend, businesses closed, people busy with weekend activities and all that…. Just so typical of this administration. Everything is a late night Friday night announcement, so scripted and choreographed but the sheep still lap it all up. Sad state of the state affairs.